Flu epidemic sweeps over 12 cities and 3 regions in Russia

Flu epidemic sweeps over 12 cities and 3 regions in Russia

13.03.2008, 14.48


http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/images/spacer.gifhttp://www.itar-tass.com/eng/images/spacer.gif MOSCOW, March 13 (Itar-Tass) - The flu epidemic is registered in 12 cities and three constituent territories in Russia. ?The current epidemic situation can be called latent,? Russian chief sanitary doctor Gennady Onishchenko told a press conference on Thursday.
According to him, though a steep rise in the flu incidence rate, danger should not be underestimated. ?Ordinary flu is also dangerous, but not only such types as bird flu,? the doctor said. He recalled that even the contamination by quite widespread types of the flu virus might lead to serous complications and fatalities. Onishchenko emphasized that even young people with a strong immunity ?should stay in bed, if they are infected,? no matter how well we are feeling. ?A flu-infected person poses a threat for the infection to spread, it is particularly dangerous in families with little children and elderly people,? he said.
In reply to a journalist?s query about bird flu the chief sanitary doctor said about 400 bird flu cases were registered in the world from the moment the first bird flu case was registered about three years ago. Onishchenko noted a high fatality rate from this dangerous infection, as more than 50 percent of bird flu infected people died. Speaking on the recent bird flu cases registered in Hong Kong he said it was most likely bird flu.